Joseph Hopkins

[Selina]

I am seeking the birth/baptism of Joseph Hopkins 1840/1842 in order to find his mother's name.

According to his military enrolment papers he was born 1840 in Carlow, Co. Carlow.

His father was Richard Hopkins, dead by 1876, Coach Proprietor of Carlow.

I have him in the English 1861 census (in military) and thereafter.

I would be grateful (but not too hopeful!) for any information.

Thanks,

Selina

[shanew147]

I'm guessing he meant in or near Carlow town... but you would need to know what denomination your Hopkins family were so you can check if records might be available.

Some Church of Ireland records for the county are available on www.irishgenealogy.ie

See : Introduction to Irish Records 


Shane

[Selina]

Thank you Shane.

Will look at those links and also see if I can find denomination, should be on his service papers if the right page has survived.

Selina

[shanew147]

some long shots..

a) there's a death of a Richard Hopkins in the Carlow town registration district on the BMD Index in 1871 :

  Name: Richard Hopkins
  Registration district:   Carlow
  Event type: Deaths
  Year: 1871
  Age : 88  (est. year of birth 1783)
  Volume : 3 / Page: 362

A death cert would not give that much detail, but might have a family member as informant, and should include a place of death and his occupation... which might allow you to confirm a connection.

  Ordering Certs from GRO Roscommon
  Details included on a Death Cert

b) a marriage of a possible sibling to Joseph in the extracted records on Familysearch :

  Groom: John Hopkins  / Age 32 (c1834) /Single
  Bride: Eliza Neill  / Age 32 (c1834) / Single
  Date of Marriage: 17 Apr 1866
  Place of marriage: Roman Catholic Chapel Of Carlow
  Groom's father: Richard Hopkins
  Bride's father: John Neill
  Ref. : pg 365

and the corresponding BMD Index entry in case you want to try a cert :

  Name:   John Hopkins
  Registration district:   Carlow
  Event type: Marriage
  Year: 1866
  Volume :   8 / Page : 365

  (matching entry for Eliza Neill)

  Details included on a Marriage Cert


Shane

[Selina]

Thank you very much for those.

Will file for the moment whilst I go into things a bit deeper, I am not used to Irish research!

Selina

[Thomasin]

Hello Selina
I have an ancestor Thomas Hopkins whose father was Richard Hopkins, coach proprietor, who lived on Dublin Road , according to the Griffiths Valuation.

Thomas was also in the military and enlisted in the 86th Foot.

He arrived in Brisbane Australia in 1866 and some years later he filled in a form with his parents' names - Richard Hopkins and Mary Calander. I notice that the name William Calander is near that of Richard Hopkins in Dublin Road. it's a possible connection too.



Beverley 

[Selina]

Hi Beverley,

Thank you very much for your reply, it certainly sounds like a connection and very interesting.

I have no personal connection to the Hopkins family but was helping someone who is related.

After the death of Joseph Hopkins, his wife Ellen remarried and she is the great grandmother of one of my distant cousins.  He in turn was in touch with a direct Hopkins descendant and so on!

I have passed on your reply and I will send you what I know of Joseph by personal message but in order to do that you will need to make a couple of more postings on the boards so if you acknowlege this and another that will make it possible.

Thanks again,

Selina

[shanew147]

An 1870 directory (Slaters) entry from the Car and Coach Builders listing for Carlow town that might be related :

   Edward Hopkins & Co. 39 Tullow St.

Also listed under saddlers.

The same Hopkins business is also listed in 1881


Shane

[Thomasin]

Hi Selena
Glad to be of some help. Thomas said his father was a postillion - lovely word.

Beverley